Business Reporter

Telstra chief executive David Thodey has staked an early claim for this year's title as the nation's highest paid boss.

Thodey has been rewarded for Telstra’s growth and dominance, taking home an extra $3.2 million in the last financial year.

In 2013-2014, Mr Thodey earned a total package of $12.8 million, including cash and shares from meeting short and long-term goals set by Telstra's board.

That certainly makes the telecommunications veteran one of the best-paid executives in Australia. In fact based on last year's tally for listed company executives Mr Thodey would have ranked number one with a pay packet of that size. It is a substantial increase on the previous year when Mr Thodey took home $9.6 million which had ranked him number seven on the list.

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Since becoming chief executive in 2009, Mr Thodey has overseen Telstra’s profits surge by more than 115 per cent to $4.3 billion, with the company’s share price jumping by more than 50 per cent.

In that time, the telco has added close to 6 million mobile subscribers, increasing the market share and pressuring its main rivals Optus and Vodafone.